Saratoga kidnapping suspect is indicted
Police say illegal immigrant from El Salvador abducted woman for sex

By DENNIS YUSKO, Staff writer
Saturday, August 15, 2009

SARATOGA SPRINGS -- A Saratoga County grand jury indicted a Corinth man from El Salvador on Friday for what police call a brutal kidnapping for sex.

Victor V. Hernandez-Perez, a 23-year-old restaurant worker who police say is an illegal immigrant, faces 13 felonies and two misdemeanors for striking a woman with a pistol, abducting her from Walnut Street and threatening to sexually assault her in his van July 23, District Attorney James A. Murphy III said.

Police say the 24-year-old woman escaped from the van about 10 miles from where she was allegedly abducted and helped describe Hernandez-Perez and his vehicle to police. He was arrested days later.

"After he ordered her to take off her clothes at gunpoint, she jumped from the speeding van to save her own life," Murphy said. "She has been terrorized and we will ensure that justice prevails."

Also known as Vladimir Perez and Hernandez Perez, the man was charged with committing two counts of kidnapping, six counts of robbery, four counts of assault, two misdemeanor counts of weapons possession and criminal possession of a forged instrument, which Murphy said occurred around June 8 in Malta.

Some of the 15 counts are alternate theories of prosecution. Hernandez-Perez is charged with robbery for driving away with the victim's clothing and $500. He allegedly had in his possession forged residency documents that he presented to employers. Several of the charges are sexually motivated crimes, Murphy said.

"A crime that alleges a sexually-motivated felony does not elevate the crime to a higher felony level, but rather extends the post-release supervision period and also requires that the defendant register as a sex offender," Murphy said.

Federal immigration authorities also are working on the case. If Hernandez-Perez is convicted, immigration officials intend to seek his deportation at the conclusion of his sentence, Murphy said.

Hernandez-Perez entered the country through Mexico about six years ago, Murphy said. He is being held in county jail without bail. He is represented by county Assistant Public Defender Andrew Blumenberg, who declined comment.

A week after Hernandez-Perez's arrest, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested two other El Salvador nationals who lived and worked in the city. Salvador "Tony" Alas Palacios and Manuel Alas Duran are charged with being in the country illegally. ICE officials say the two are associated with the violent gang MS13. They are being held in Albany County jail. Police are investigating whether Hernandez-Perez is linked to MS13.

Dennis Yusko can be reached by e-mail at dyusko@timesunion.com.


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